One Night Can Change Everything
by lobster13
Summary: Alexis wants to go to Times Square to see the ball drop on New Year's Eve and kiss a boy. What happens if Castle doesn't let her? How can Kate help him? And how will it influence their relationship? Based on the Kate/Hailey storyline from "New Year's Eve"


**A/N: Hey there! So, I went to see the movie "New Year's Eve" and I absolutely fell in love with it. If you haven't seen it yet, please do. After I left the cinema (for the second time hehe) I just had this idea for a fanfiction and I just had to write it, so when I got home, this is what I came up with. I hope you like it. It's based on the Kate/Hailey storyline. **

**Summary: Alexis wants to go to Times Square to see the ball drop on New Year's Eve. Well, not just to see the ball drop... What happens when Castle doesn't let her? How will Kate help him? And how will the new year influence their relationship? One shot based on the Kate/Hailey storyline from the movie "New Year's Eve".**

**PS: I'm kinda ignoring the whole "I love you" thing because I already wrote two fanfictions about it and I wanted this one to be different. **

**Enjoy! (:**

"Hey kid. How was your day today?" Castle said as Alexis walked into their apartment.

"Good. No different from the usual."

"I see..." He replied, focusing his attention back on the laptop.

"Dad, can I ask you something?" She sat down on the spot next to him on the couch.

"Of course you can, sweetheart. What's bothering you?"

"Dad, tomorrow's new year's eve, and I'd really like to go to Times Square to see the ball drop."

"But we were going to spend new year's eve together, remember? You're just gonna leave me alone?"

"I'm sorry dad, I hate to do this to you, but it's not my fault that Gram decided to spend New Years in Paris and I really want to go to Times Square."

"Alexis, you were never the kind of girl who liked to go to Times Square. You actually kept me from going last year because you didn't wanna go and also didn't wanna spend New Years alone."

"Dad, it's different this time, ok?"

"Why?"

"Well..." The little Castle blushed. "There's this guy."

"Oh, a guy?"

"Yes, this guy. And he's really cute and his name is Jake and I really like him and I think he likes me too and he said that if I go, he'll kiss me at midnight. We're not gonna be alone. Paige is going, Emily, Allison, Lisa, Dylan, Cody, Spencer, James, Jaden, Lilly, Thomas, Ross and maybe Carrie. Please, Dad?"

"Alexis, you have to understand, I can't let you go to Times Square without adult supervision on New Year's Eve just so you can kiss a boy. You can kiss him anytime you want, kiddo, but this night only happens once a year and you're staying here."

"Dad, why are you doing this? I'm seventeen, you know? I can make my own decisions."

"No, I guess you're about one year away from that."

"Please? I'm responsible, I keep my grades up, I try to do everything right and the one time I ask you to do something that doesn't stick to my usual 'Little Miss Perfect' routine you deny it?"

"Kid, I'm the cool Dad, ok? I let you do what you want when it's not dangerous and you know it, but this is something I'm not comfortable with. I'm just doing what's best for you."

"Whatever. I'm tired of always trying to be perfect, ok? Why do I always have to do the right thing? Why can't I just do something crazy once in a while? I'm a teenager, Dad, deal with it!" She said as she walked upstairs and slammed the door.

"Alexis, dinner's on the table!" Castle said as he knocked on his daughter's bedroom door.

No one replied.

"Honey, I know you're mad at me for not letting you go to Times Square, but we can see the ball drop on television."

No one replied again.

"Alexis, please, talk to me."

No response. Castle started to get worried.

"Alexis Harper Castle, open this door."

When he once again got absolutely no response, he opened the door.

The bedroom was empty, her bed was made, her TV was on and her window was open. Stuck to the TV there was a small piece of paper that said "I'm really sorry" written in Alexis' handwritting.

"Great. She went down the fire scape. And to think I fought so hard for custody..."

Katherine Beckett sat by herself in her apartment, drinking a glass of wine, lying on the couch. She had called her father earlier to wish him a happy new year. He had gone on a fishing trip with his friend, leaving her alone on New Year's Eve.

Ryan and Jenny had gone to Florida to visit her parents, Lanie and Esposito were spending the evening together in their recently bought apartment and Castle was probably going to spend the night with Alexis at home.

She started picturing herself with them, in the loft, sitting on their couch and watching the ball drop as they counted down the seconds to the new year's arrival. She would kiss Rick at midnight and whisper "Happy New Year". Alexis would wrap her arms around them and they would all laugh and just be together.

"Maybe I can have something like that..." She thinked.

She grabbed her phone and looked for Castle's contact.

"Ok, I'm doing this!" She said to herself. "I'm calling him and I'm asking him if I can come over."

When she was about to press the "Call" button, her phone rang and Castle's name appeared on the screen.

"Hey! I was just about to call you!" She said, smiling.

"Kate, I need your help." He sounded worried.

"What happened?"

"Alexis. She wanted to go to Times Square tonight to see the ball drop and kiss this kid but I didn't let her and now she's gone and..."

"Castle, calm down, ok? We'll find her."

"How?"

"We'll just go to Times Square."

"Kate, there are hundreds of people there right now."

"Ok, I hate to do this, but did she leave her phone there?"

"No."

"What about her laptop?"

"Yes!" He yelled.

"Is it on?"

"Yes!" He yelled again.

"Ok. See if you can check her email, twitter, something. Maybe the boy told her where in Times Square he would be so she could meet him."

He scanned her inbox and found an email from Jake, which if he remembered correctly was the boy's name, and opened it.

"Got it!"

"Meet you in the loft in about fifteen minutes."

"Ok. And Kate?"

"What?"

"I know you probably had plans for tonight and I'm sorry for interrupting them, but it's just that you're the only one I could call."

"If what you mean by 'plans' is sitting by myself in my living room drinking wine and watching the live transmition of the ball drop, then you sure interrupted my plans, but I honestly couldn't care a less."

"Thank you so much for helping me."

"Always."

He smiled.

"See you when you get here."

"Ok, bye."

She grabbed a coat and left her apartment.

The doorbell rang and Castle rushed to the door.

"Kate!" He smiled.

"Hey." She hugged him.

"Do you wanna come in or should we go?"

"Let's just get going."

"Ok, you're right." He said, grabbing his jacket and locking the door.

They walked to Times Square, both freezing.

"I'll tell you one thing, I sure hope that at least she didn't forget to wear a coat."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be nice." She let out a small laugh.

"So..." He started. "Why were you alone on New Year's Eve?"

"Everyone was busy doing their things and I just... wasn't."

"You could've called me. You'd have been more than welcome to spend the night with me and Alexis."

"Next time I will. Thank you." She smiled.

"No problem, Kate. That's what partners are for." He said as he laced his fingers with hers.

"We're here." She said, pointing to the huge crowd in front of them.

"I'll check the left side and you'll check the right side, ok? If you find her, call me."

"Ok."

"Oh my God, where the hell is he?" The little Castle asked herself as she scanned the crowd, looking for Jake.

"Alexis?" She heard someone scream.

Turning back, she saw Rick, who hadn't seen her yet.

"What is he doing here?" She asked herself.

Alexis pushed some people out of her way, walking towards her father's oposite direction.

The countdown began. She could hear the people screaming.

"Ten, nine, eight..."

Finally she saw Jake and the rest of her friends.

"Jake!" She yelled.

"Seven, six, five, four..."

She was getting closer and closer to them, but they still couldn't hear her.

"Three, two, one! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Everyone jumped and screamed in happiness. She was just about to yell his name again when she saw it. He was kissing Carrie. Not her, but Carrie. How could he?

"What?" she whispered to herself, devastaded.

She wasn't going to cry. She couldn't. She wouldn't. She was already crying.

"I can't believe this." she tought.

She was trying to keep the tears from falling and regreting even leaving her apartment. She broke her dad's heart, she broke his trust for this stupid liar.

She turned around only to find Kate staring at her and at the whole scene.

"Alexis, I'm so sorry." Was all she could say.

"He said he liked me. He lied to me." She said as she wrapped her arms around Kate and just cried.

"I know, I know. Almost all of them do." She wrapped her arms around Alexis as well.

"I feel so stupid."

"Don't."

"I was just starting to forget Ashley."

"I know, honey, I know."

"Kate? Alexis?" They heard Rick calling their names.

"Dad?" Alexis lifted her head from Kate's shoulder.

"Over here!" Kate raised her hand so Rick could see them.

"Alexis, I was worried sick!" He wrapped his arms around both of them.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I'm sorry, Beckett. I don't even know why you forgot about your plans for tonight just to come look for me, but I'm sorry."

"That's ok." They both said.

"Let's just please get outta here?" She asked.

"Sure." Rick replied.

They walked quietly to the loft. Nobody dared to say a word.

Finally, when Rick opened the door, Alexis spoke.

"I'm really sorry, Dad."

"I know you are, kiddo."

"I should've listened to you, I should 've known. I shouldn't have done what I did and I am really, really sorry."

"I know."

"Ground me for as much time as you want. I know I deserve it."

"Kid, listen to me, what you did was really, really wrong."

She fought back a tear and he could see that.

"But the fact that you know it was wrong shows me how mature you are. I should've offered to go with you, Alexis. I trust you. And you know what? You were actually right. You're almost eighteen and you should be allowed to do what you want. You made a mistake, that's human. I was worried about you, but at the same time I was kinda proud."

"What?"

"You finally stood up for what you wanted, Alexis. That's something you're gonna have to do a lot in your life and I'm proud of you for realising that."

"Thanks, I guess?"

"No sweat, kiddo. And also, you are grounded for two weeks."

"Just when I thought I was going to get rid of that..." She smiled.

"Yeah, not that easily."

"Happy New Year, Dad." She smiled and hugged him.

"Happy New Year, Lex."

"Happy New Year, Kate." She hugged the Detective, who was watching everything with tears in her eyes.

"Happy New Year, Alexis."

"Thank you for consoling me." She smiled.

"Always."

"I'm going to my room now, ok? I'm just... tired."

"Ok, honey. Goodnight. Happy New Year."

"Goodnight, Dad and Kate. Happy New Year."

The readhead climbed up the stairs.

"So... I guess I should get going." Kate said.

"No way. It's way too late. I don't want you walking around by yourself."

"Castle, I'm big girl, ok? I can take care of myself."

"Kate, stay. Please? Maybe have some wine?"

"Castle, where am I supposed to sleep?"

"You can have my bedroom. I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, Castle, I'm perfectly fine with sleeping on the couch. I'm already a guest, I'm not taking your bedroom."

"So that means you're staying?" He grinned.

"Ok." She smiled.

"Awesome! I'll go get you a pillow."

They both laughed.

"And Kate?" He said before walking away.

"What?"

"There was something I wanted to do." He said, pulling her close to him.

He pushed a lock of her hair away from her face, gazing into her deep, beautiful green eyes.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist.

He gently brushed her lips with his, giving her time to stop him. She didn't. He then kissed her. It started gently at first and then it grew passionate.

They both parted for air eventually.

"Happy New Year, Kate." He said, resting his forehead in hers.

"Happy New Year, Rick." She smiled widely.

They stood in each others arms for about two minutes, just silently enjoying the moment.

"Rick?" Kate finally spoke.

"What?"

"I'm not sure if I'm comfortable sleeping on the couch." She smiled tentatively.

"Well..." His smile matched hers. "I guess we have a problem then, because I'm not comfortable sleeping on the couch either."

"Oh, really?"

"Really."

"So I guess we'll have to share your bed, Mister Castle."

"Oh, Detective Beckett, I thought you'd never ask."

They kissed again.

"I love you, Kate."

"I love you too, Rick."

_"It only happens once a year: New Year's Eve. It's a time when hopeless can be romantic, and a resolution can become a revelation. And when one night can change everything."_

This night surely did.

**A/N: That last quote is from the movie.**

**I hope you liked it. I had to write it, I just had to. It was killing me. I hope you also enjoyed the film. If you haven't seen it yet, please do. I went to see it twice already and it's absolutely amazing.**

**Please review. Thank you for reading it! **

**HAPPY NEW YEAR. (:**


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